SABC to give 800 employees the boot

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) intends to sack up to 800 employees over the next two years in order to improve the "efficiencies and effectiveness" of the embattled public broadcaster's new operating model. In a letter signed by the head of strategy and acting group executive for human capital services, Justice Ndaba and addressed to the Broadcast, Electronic Media and Allied Workers Union (Bemawu), the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and the Media Workers Association of South Africa (Mwasa), the SABC said the "reduction process" would begin this month, and it anticipates the loss of 500 to 600 employees during the 2011/12 financial year, and the balance during 2012/13. "The company prefers that no forced retrenchments should be embarked upon, and rather investigates other options such as early retirement and voluntary separations. "Should the company have no alternative but to proceed with terminating employees' services, the company will use selection criteria that have been agreed upon, or failing agreement, criteria which will be both fair and objective," the broadcaster said. In the letter, the SABC proposed a meeting with the unions at its head office, on July 13, to begin discussions on the consultation process.
(Mail & Guardian)